This is Distant Star 3 from 2010.
Sometimes, the projects don't work out as well as I would like, but I think it's important to show the failures as well as the successes. This is a fail, because I am both stubborn and lazy sometimes.
There are all kinds of things that read out-of-balance in the bird's design, from body shape to feather layering. I mean, really, is it a funky chicken or is it a raptor? Some feathers are layered "forward" and some "backward".
What was I thinking?
Why didn't I fix it when it was still in the pencil-drawing stage? WHYYYYYYY?
...Because I'm stubborn and lazy. I just couldn't be arsed to fix it. I've gotten most of that foolish mindset out of my system at this point, and I will scrap a drawing and start over to get it "right" - for Rachael-values of right - before I proceed to ink or color.
What I do like is the color balance and pattern arrangements, and the fun thing I tried with the super-simple background. While I wouldn't want to sell a piece like this because of the anatomical weirdness and personal dissatisfaction, I want to remember this pattern and color scheme, and the background thing. I will try again with another member of the series. Because I am stubborn.
Prismacolor pencils over watercolor.